Steam-engine



2 ShetS-Shet 1.

Patented Oct. 8, L889.

STEAM ENGINE.

W O. W O R T H.

N. PETERS 'Phnlvlnnngnpber. Wulingbn. D. C,

(No Mode n.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM O. WORTH, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOVA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,444, dated October 8, 1889.

Application filed December 22,1887. Serial Ne. 258,763. (No model.)

engines in which the cylinders and pistons have a movement on the crank-pin perpendicular to each other and within a rectangular'shell.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of the shell for the purpose of strengthening it and improving its appearance, to provide for the better admission of steam to the cylinders through the application of automatic valves, to arrange for inclosing within the shell of the eccentric, to facilitate the lubrication of the internal mechanism, and, generally, to improve this class of engines, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts to their respective functions, as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents an end elevation of an engine embodying my invention; and Fig. 2, a horizon tal section of the same below the line a b of Fig. 1. In Sheet 2, Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the engine on the line 0 d of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a vertical section of the same on the line e f of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a vertical section on the line g h of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a side elevation of the eccentric. and its connected counter-weight, and Fig. 7 a central vertical section of the same on the line 1 j of Fig. 6.

' The engine to which my improvements are applied is of that class in which the cylin-' ders and pistons are inclosed within a rectangular shell a'nd have a gyratory movement within said shell on the wrist-pin of the crankshaft, the movement of the pistons and cylinders being perpendicular to each other.

In the drawings, A represents the shell; B B, the cylinders; O O, the pistons; D, the crank-shaft, having the wrist-pin D. The shell is provided with heads E E, having projecting hubs, as shown, within which hubs is mounted the crank-shaft D.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that as the crank-shaft revolves the cylinders will be moved vertically and the pistons horizontally within said cylinders.

The shell. A consists, essentially, of inner and outer portions A and A", the intervening space being utilized for the passage of live and exhaust steam. Heretofore the steampassages have been arranged to coincide with the open ends of the cylinders at or near the terminus of the stroke, being arranged on alternate sides of said cylinder ends, respectively, so that the reciprocal vertical-movement of cylinders will alternately open and close the ports. The effect of this was naturally to cause the inflowing steam to strike the piston-head near the upper or lower side. It is desirable, however, that the impact of the steam should be central with respect to the piston, or as nearly so as possible, and to this end, as well as to improve the engine in other respects, which will be hereinafter specified, I place the inlet-ports G G opposite each other and on the horizontal center of the e11- gine, and mount opposite those ports two rotary valves F F.

Steam-ports G G communicate with the outside of these valves through one end, as indicated in Fig. 2. The exhaustport H is separated from the steam-port by a web A and communicates with the cylinder ends through the openings H H in the internal portion of the shell and at or near the upper and lower terminals of the movement of said cylinders, respectively.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that the outer portion of the ends of the shell are curved outwardly. The object of this is not only to strengthen the shell against the internal pressure of the steam, but also to provide spaces at the end of the shell within which are mounted the valves F F, as well as to improve the external appearance of the shell. These Valves may be rotary valves of any approved construction; but for the sake of illustration in this application I have shown tapered hollow valves open at one end and having two ports arranged opposite each other. They are mounted in a suitable bushing I, having apertures coinciding with the openings in the valves. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that these openings communicate above and below with the ports G G, said ports being extended above and below the valve for that purpose. These valves are actuated by an extension J through the medium of rods K and K, connected with the eccentric-strap J and cranks Z) I), mounted on the valvestems. The rod K has a fixed and the rod K has pivotal connection with the eccentric-strap to allow the peculiar movement of these parts. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that this eccentric and its connections are mounted within the shell. This I accomplish by making a lateral projection E on the head E, within which projection the eccentric revolves, and the connecting-rods are free to operate. By thus inclosing these parts within the shell I bring them in contact with the oil distributed through the whole interior of the shell by the action of the internal parts, and thus secure perfect and automatic lubrication of the eccentric and its connections.

To counterbalance the weight of the pistons and cylinders, I mount on the shaft D, each side of said cylinders and within the shell, counter-weights L L. To one of these counter-weights L, I connect the eccentric, either permanently or by means of governorarms M M, controlled by springs N N, whereby its eccentricity is automatically regulated and the How of steam correspondingly controlled. This eccentric is in the form of a ring, the internal diameter of which is large enough to allow foritsmotion around the box 0, within which the shaft is mounted, and which for the purpose of equalizing the terminals of these boxes from the center of the crank-pin, and at the same time making the two boxes of the same length, is extended internally, as shown in Fig. 2.

The shell A is mounted on a hollow base A, within which I place oil or oil and water for the purpose of lubri zatiu g the internal mechanism, holes being provided through the upper part of the base and lower part of the shell to admit of commu nication between these parts. By means of an overflow-pipe d the oil at the surface of the water is kept at a uniform level.

In the operation of engines of this class a certain amount of the oil used in lubricating the pistons and cylinders will be mingled with the steam and carried out with the exhaust. To utilize as far as possible this oil and prevent undue waste, I provide means whereby a considerable portion, if not all, of it is arrested in its passage outward and restored to the interior of the shell. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that the exhaust-pipe O communicates with the exhaust-port H through the top of the shell. The exhaust-steam in escaping thus passes over the top of the internal portion of the shell A, and the oil mingled with said exhaust-steam naturally lodges to a large ex tent on the top of that portion of the shell and flows toward the center. This action of the oil is aided by means of a downward projection e, formed on the lower side of the upper part of the shell A near the exit, which tends to deflect the current of steam downward. Below this exit-pipe O in the upper part of the internal portion of the shell is formeda receptacle P, and into this receptacle the oil as it flows toward the center falls. This is provided with a simple faucet or cock 9, by means of which the receptacle may be opened, as desired, and the oil within the same allowed to fall into the bottom of the shell.

The special arrangement of the steamvalves herein described is such as not only to centralize the flow of the steam with respect to the pistons, as specified, but is such as to admit of the steam being cut off at a point less than the full stroke of the piston, whereby the expansion of the steam in the cylinders is utilized. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an engine of the class described, the herein-described improvement in the shell, consisting in providing the same with outwardly-eurved ends A, contiguous plane bearing-faces A for the heads of an inclosed cylinder, and intermediate steam -chests adapted to receive a steam-valve, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an engine substantially as described, the combination of a rectangular shell having suitable steam and exhaust ports, crankshaft mounted centrally with respect to said shell, pistons and cylinders having reciprocal motions perpendicular to each other on said crank, an eccentric mounted on the crankshaft within said shell, and steam-valves arranged opposite the outer ends of the cylinders and actuated by said eccentric, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an engine of the class described, the shell A, having the steam-ports G G, adapted to communicate with the end of valve I, and the exhaust-ports H H, adapted to communicate with the open ends of the cylinders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an engine of the class described, the shell A and the receptacle P, arranged substantially as set forth, and adapted to catch surplus oil from the exhaust-steam.

5. The combination in an engine, substantially as described, of the shell A, steam-ports H H, receptacle P, the downwardly-extending projection c to deflect the steam, and means for letting the oil out of said receptacles, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. M. ST. JOHN, J. D. WORTH.

IIO 

